Thursday round-up

• Lots of Santorum in the news today. The senator has launched a bizarre series of attack ads on Casey's "campaign team", making a hazy cloud of allegations, and the senator himself is busy beating the terrorism drum in his own speeches. Tom Ferrick notes that Santorum can't seem to shake the residency issue. And John Baer notes two current political ads highlighting different aspects of the incumbent, one portraying him as a raging radical, the other as a soft and friendly family guy. Which campaign is promoting which image is left as an exercise for the reader.
  
  
• In other news related to the US Senate race, Ray Murphy makes the case for supporting Casey rather than just opposing Santorum, and Pennsyltucky Politics gives us an update on what Romanelli has been up to.
  
  
• In the world of anti-violence, the Inquirer editorial page offers another critique of Perzel's cop proposal (conclusion: a reasonable start, but increased policing needs to be supplemented with more parole and probation officers), and also discusses Brady's upcoming summit (he shouldn't exclude critical players for political reasons).
  
  
• An inclusionary housing rally today sparks examination of the fate of low-income residents of transitional neighborhoods, and the push to require developers to set aside a portion of their new buildings for lower-rent units.
  
  
• Bits on city officials and wannabees:
  
  
  
  1. A new study predicts financial difficulties ahead for Philadelphia, which will fall right into the laps of the next mayor. Sources of the problems are increasing benefits and debt obligations...
     
     
  2. Also on the mayoral front, two CityPaper stories look at various contenders: the polnote looks at spats between Fattah and Evans (at least by proxy), while another story looks at Nutter's environmental views.
     
     
  3. Philadelphia City Councilman Jim Kenney would like to abolish the city's quit-to-run rule, which required, e.g., that Nutter leave Council in order to declare for Mayor. He argues that the city loses needed talent through such departures, and also that local candidates are put at a disadvantage relative to state or federal officeholders, for whom there is no such rule.
     
     
  4. A Daily News piece looks at how the Inspector's office has tracked down violaters of city-residency requirements lately, by cross-checking various public records.
  
  
• Apparently the Philly school system spends a heap on getting kids to and from school, such as getting taxis for kids with injuries, etc. Vallas would like to find cheaper solutions, but few are in evidence.
  
  
• A Daily News editorial calls for more thought on the future of the Fairmont Park Commission.
  
  
• Ed Rendell writes a letter to the DN claiming that wages are doing better than many think in Pennsylvania.